WARNING: POTENTIALLY DISTRESSING IMAGES
Doctors discovered that a 20cm (7.8 inch) long blood clot removed from a man's lung had actually moulded into the shape of his airways.
The huge clot was taken out when a breathing tube was removed from the 64-year-old's lung - although it almost looks like part of the tube, it's actually a lump of coagulated blood which had taken the shape of that particular area of the body.
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While the man was in hospital, he became fatally ill with various different conditions, and doctors eventually made the decision to turn of his life support machine.
The man had arrived at the London NHS hospital complaining of back pain, fever and feeling generally unwell, but his condition deteriorated rapidly, as detailed in a case report by medics.
Doctors working at the hospital soon realised the man's blood pressure was 'profoundly' low, and he was then taken into intensive care with lung failure.
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It was then that scans revealed the man had a 'pulmonary embolism' - a blood clot on the lungs. The fluids built up in the man's lungs and in the membranes around his chest.
The report states that his chest was drained, with a large amount of fluid removed, but minutes later, he began coughing up blood and his condition sadly declined rapidly.
A test then confirmed that there was a 'large pale blood clot' stuck to the breathing tube the staff had put in to help the man breathe.
It's known as a 'blood clot bronchial cast' - referring to the way it casts its shape to the tubes in the lung.
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The BMJ Case report states: "Despite multiple attempts, this could not be removed by suction."
In an attempt to remove the clot, the man was sedated and paralysed, with doctors then pulling out the tube.
The clot measured 20cm (7.8 inches) long and was shaped like the inside of a lung, with five 'branches' coming off it.
Although the patient's breathing improved straight away, the man remained critically ill.
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Following tests, it was revealed that he was also suffering from bowel cancer, septic shock, MRSA, a bacterial infection and also an infection in his heart tissue.
Doctors concluded there was no more they could do to help save the man's life, so with the man's family's permission, they came to the decision to turn off his life support machine.
Featured Image Credit: PA